[dmd-beta] D 1.075 and 2.060 betas

[Nick Sabalausky]

On Fri, 27 Jul 2012 10:48:27 +0200
Alex Rønne Petersen <xtzgzorex at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Jul 27, 2012 at 9:04 AM, Jacob Carlborg <doob at me.com> wrote:
> >
> > I don't agree. I wouldn't want to ask my users of an
> > application/tool to have to install MinGW or Cygwin. Preferably the
> > shouldn't have to install anything. That basically means native
> > code.
> 
> This is a script for use by developers, not by end users. Can you
> honestly develop on Windows without MinGW/Cygwin? I wouldn't even
> bother with the platform if it wasn't for those two.
> 

I'm primarily on Windows, and personally I'm pretty much sold on the
idea of using "GNU for Win" and MinGW, etc. In fact, I do use the Win
ports of many GNU cmdline tools, and feel like I couldn't live without
them. And though I don't currently use MinGW/MSYS, I've been meaning to
give them another try.

But the problem is, Windows developers like me are rare.

Most windows developers, sad as it is, are more or less afraid of the
command line in the first place, and stick to GUIs. When they need to do
cmd line (the ones who even know how), they'll pop into cmd.exe, run
their command, and then go back to Visual Studio. The really hardcore
Windows devs may even use Powershell. But the only ones who would even
*think* to install MinGW/etc, let alone be willing to bother, are the
ones who already have some Unixy leanings anyway.

I'm with Jacob, D's the way to go. Along with perhaps a trivial
no-frills batch file (and sh version, of course) just in case someone
needs to bootstrap it for whatever reason. Although, personally, I
would wait for the new std.process, as the current one has some
rather painful limitations.